Ralphs Place was always there

Ralph’s Place was there before I ever considered writing novels. It began as a bedtime story to my first son, 4-year-old Alex, whom we lost to cancer at six-years-old. Brother Daniel’s later arrival brought new Ralph Bedtime Stories that began when he was 4-years-old.

On business days, I caught the Westport, CT commuter bus to Metro North RR, then I walked to the nearby Daily News building and the offices of Changing Times, where I sold advertising space in the Kiplinger Washington Editors excellent, monthly personal finance publication. Round-trip, to New York City, and back home to Westport was one hour and thirty minutes, during which I composed Daniel’s bedtime story.

The evening Train-bus commute was always an adrenalin rush: Daniel went to bed at 8:30 p.m. and I had to hustle each evening to arrive before bedtime. The train lasts one hour, with half-an-hour to relax before planning the evening’s Ralph Story. Each Ralph story would begin with a review of the previous story, that was delightfully interrupted by, my son’s comment, “I know!” Truthfully, everything I always needed was there when I sat on my son’s bed and carried his delightful imagination to a wonderful place with magical experiences featuring a pie-stealing beaver, a Vampire soccer coach, two whales: a flittacious female whale who ate too many chocolares and lost all of her teeth, and her boyfriend who is the big boss of the lake, and shoots huge waterballs.

There’s really no place quite as magical as Ralph’s Place. It is the land of endless summer where teens go when they dream happy dreams. Thousands have visited the beautiful location through their sleep, but few are lucky enough to live there all year round.

You won’t find Ralph’s Place on a map, and the US mail is not deliv­ered there. There is no telephone or cell phone reception and no tele­vision. Yet Ralph’s Place is as real as the nose on your face. Surprisingly, you may have once visited Ralph’s Place while you were dreaming. Later you awakened with a big smile and a bright happy face. The memory lin­gers for a long time. But you are helpless to return if you cannot remember the dreamlike state of mind that took you there.

Throughout history, there have been many legends about a magical place in the North Woods where it is always summer. Most often, Ralph’s Place is first found by accident, and the experience is so wonderful that visitors forget how to return. However, the boy Ralph, his circus trapeeze performing mother and grandmother, his Rodeo Hall of Fame father all live there, where it’s always Spring and never summer, and where challenges are ferequent and discovery is forever.There are three books: Ralph’s Place I ( for Young Readers) Ralph’s Place II,(for early teens), and coming soon:Ralph’s Placer III, for young Adults. https://amzn.to/2RyMpPl

: http://amzn.to/2jilibj

An enchanted place packed with vampires and mystical creatures will help Ralph find what he needs the most—himself —in this inspirational young adult fantasy by C. Michael Bennis.